David Fincher chose Rooney Mara over JLaw and ScarJo

Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett Johansson are the two most popular and successful actresses in Hollywood. Both have given us commercially successful movies as well as critically acclaimed ones. The two actresses have also been part of two major franchises – with Lawrence leading The Hunger Games trilogy and Johansson playing Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Jennifer Lawrence in No Hard Feelings

So it does come as a surprise when people find out that both these actresses were rejected for an Oscar-nominated role. And the one to reject them is one of the hard to please directors – Mr. David Fincher. Fincher said no to both JLaw and ScarJo for a role that got actress Rooney Mara an Oscar nomination back in 2012. And the movie in question is none other than The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

David Fincher Did Not Want Jennifer Lawrence for Lisbeth

When director David Fincher began scouting actors for the English adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s bestselling novel of the same name from the Millennium trilogy, the role of Lisbeth Salander was the most coveted. Many A-listers auditioned for the role, hoping to bag it, but Fincher was not that easy to please.

Rooney Mara in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence auditioned for the coveted role and was even considered for the lead role for a while. Eventually, David Fincher decided to go with an actress who was not as popular and cast Rooney Mara alongside Daniel Craig. The actress went on to bag an Oscar nomination for the 2011 movie but lost it to Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady.

Scarlett Johansson Really Wanted The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Scarlett Johansson was another A-lister who had auditiones for the role in the David Fincher directorial. Rumors stated that she was considered too pretty for the role of Lisbeth, but the actress denied these speculations.

Scarlett Johansson in Captain America: The Winter Soldier

“That’s not exactly how it went,” she said in The Howard Stern Show, adding that the director said she would have to be “totally uncaring” of herself to play the role. The actress continued,
“I said, ‘I will, I can be that person’ and he was like, ‘No you can’t’. I really, really wanted that film because I felt I had something to contribute to it and I think Fincher just had a different vision for that character and Rooney Mara is, honestly, so perfect in it.”

Unfortunately, the Black Widow actress was denied the opportunity and agreed that Rooney Mara did a perfect job in the movie.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is available for renting on Apple TV.